AFAM 295 (3) - Special Topics: African-American Memoir -
topical description
- This course examines the first-person imperative in African-American literature
through the major first-person literary genre: the memoir or autobiography.
Over the six-week spring term, we study six of the most important works of
autobiographical memoir in the African-American tradition: Zora Neale Hurston's
Dust Tracks on a Road,
Richard Wright's Black Boy,
Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,
Albert Murray's South to a Very Old Place,
Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s Colored People,
and Trudier Harris's Summer Snow: Reflections from a Black Daughter of the South. We consider such issues as how these authors find and construct their literary
voices; what obstacles they encounter in their literary efforts; the role of
place, landscape, religion, and family in constructing their identities; their
perspectives on race as a factor in identity; and much more. We also study the
memoir as a literary form, using Judith Barrington Writing the Memoir. Students write their own memoir of at least 25 pages, which constitutes the
major writing assignment of the course. (HL, GE3) Conner

Anthropology (ANTH)

ANTH 180 (3) - FS: Oral History - topical description -
This first-year seminar invites students to explore
oral history – the recording and investigation of the recent past through
first-person recollection – and to learn how oral historical research
contributes to anthropological understandings of economic decision making,
social relations, and culture change. The seminar focuses oral-history
investigation on the multifaceted 20th-century transformations recognized as the
emergence of modernity. Moving from a time of horse power to nuclear energy and
from family farms to participation in international "agribusiness," did
individuals experience themselves as active agents or as being swept along a
tide of socio-economic change? How did developments in agriculture articulate
with changes in social relationships and cultural orientations? What has been
gained and what has been lost with the establishment of modernity? Students
explore these questions by reading about diverse international communities and
by conducting oral history interviews with long-time farmers in Rockbridge and
Augusta Counties. (SS4) A. Bell

Art
(ART)

ART 121 (3) - FS: Black and White: The
Foundations of Drawing (Drawing I) - What makes a
really great drawing? And how do we begin to learn the art of drawing? In this
seminar, we focus on two aspects of great drawings. The first is an
understanding and development of the basic, foundational skills of drawing and
observation. These skills are accessible to anyone willing to observe closely
and to practice the techniques of drawing. Using line, volume, value, space and
texture, we explore the representation of three-dimensional space on a
two-dimensional surface and also the expressive potential of the marks
themselves. Drawing in the studio and outside in the landscape, students become
adept at using graphite, charcoal, and ink. The second aspect of great drawings
is more elusive but arguably more important. How do we understand the drawn
image? Together we examine, analyze, and discuss the graphic works of a number
of artists, contemporary and traditional, such as Vincent Van Gogh, Willem
DeKooning, Andrew Wyeth, Larry Rivers, and Richard Diebenkorn. What is the
artist trying to say? How does the content and process by which the drawing was
produced convey the intent of the artist? By the end of the term, students have
learned the language of drawing and have practiced the skills of both the eye
and the hand. (HA) Beavers

ART 270 (3)­ Introduction to the Book Arts
- newly offered course - A creative exploration of the tradition of the
handmade book. Students learn to make several styles of binding, including
accordion books, pamphlets, and Japanese bindings. They develop some skill in
letterpress printing, paper decorating, and simple printmaking techniques to
create original handmade books. Some readings, discussions, and slide lectures
introduce students to the ingenious history of books and printing. Besides
constructing imaginative individual book art projects, students create one
collaborative project. (HA, GE4a) Merrill

University Scholars 202 (3) and Art 380A (3) -
Science in Art: Technical Examination of 17th-Century Dutch Paintings -
topical description - No prerequisites. Permission of the instructor
required. The two courses are corequisites of each other. This six-credit,
study-abroad experience develops students' fundamental understanding of certain
physical, chemical, biological, and geological concepts and utilizes that
vocabulary and knowledge to discuss 17th-century Dutch Art. The first half of
the course involving the scientific and technical background takes place in
Lexington; the second half, involving the art history, politics, religion,
economics, etc., meets at the Center for European Studies (CES) Universiteit
Maastricht and includes trips to museums, cathedrals, and other sites in
Amsterdam, The Hague, Delft, Haarlem, and Rotterdam. The emphasis is on key
aspects of optics, light, and chemical bonding needed to understand how a
painting "works" and how art conservators analyze paintings in terms of
conservation and authenticity using various scientific techniques (radiography,
microscopy, spectroscopy, chromatography, etc.). When possible, the course
develops modern notions of science with those of the 17th century in order to
see how science influenced art. Students are graded, in the first half, on three
or four tests; in the second half two research projects involving one paper and
two Powerpoint presentations are the basis for grades. Though the working
language at CES Maastricht is English, students learn key phrases in Dutch and
practice the manners and customs of The Netherlands. (SC and HA; GE5c and GE4a)
Uffelman (added October 2008)

Biology (BIOL)

BIOL 332 (6) -
Plant Functional Ecology - topical description - Prerequisites:
Biology 111 and 113. In the natural world, living organisms are in
constant battle to survive. Unlike mobile organisms, which can easily move
about to search for resources or hide from predators, plants must stand and
endure what nature throws their way! In this field-based laboratory course,
students explore the unique ways in which plants survive and thrive in their
natural environment. Topics include biochemical defenses (some of which also
serve as human medicinal chemicals), anatomical and physiological
adaptations, and biodiversity responses. Field and laboratory exercises
focus on testing hypotheses through experiments using a variety of species
from intact plant communities. Alerding

Business Administration (BUS)

BUS 195A
(3) - Art in Business - topical description - This course is an
investigation of the multiple roles art and design play in the business
world, covering all key areas of marketing communications. The emphasis is
on the principles of sound marketing planning: research, setting marketing
objectives, strategy and execution, as manifested in the creative output:
the logo, the brand, the package, the retail space, and the advertisement. Requirements include a team project, some term papers and a
final exam. Macdonald

BUS 195B (3) - FS: Puzzles and Critical Thought -
topical description - This course examines a series of puzzles and
real-world situations in an attempt to further develop students' abilities to
critically analyze situations. The course is premised on dynamic immersion, a
technique in which students learn through by experience rather than by
recitation. Through the experience of solving the puzzles, students will learn
how to better analyze the objectives of players, break down problems, develop
sets of possible solutions, identify relevant information, and extend knowledge
learned to similar situations. Although listed under the business designation,
the course is decidedly non-disciplinary and all students should be adequately
prepared. Hoover

BUS 303 (3)
- SEM: CONSUMER INSIGHTS - topical description - The overall
structure of the course is based on The Tipping Point (Malcolm
Gladwell). Specifically the course is concerned with how marketers might be
able to create their own phenomenon that might spread throughout a society
or even just a target market. At the heart of the course is an emphasis on
qualitative research methods that aid in understanding how consumers truly
think and react (rather than how they respond to surveys), and then using
that understanding to generate marketing insights and effective marketing
strategy. This seminar-based course requires extensive in-course discussion,
qualitative data collection for in-class project work, and a final project
requiring application of all elements of the course. Bower

BUS 304 (3) - Business, Government, and Society -
topical description - This course explores the relationship between the
corporation and its environment. A firm operates within and interacts with the
social, technological, political, legal, economic, and the natural environments.
We explore and critically examine the role of the firm with respect to these
surroundings from a historical and contemporary perspective. The intent of this
course is to introduce students to the issues that have challenged and continue
to challenge corporations as a result of their interaction with their
surroundings. This course provides opportunities to improve verbal and written
communication skills as well as the ability to perform critical analysis.
Reiter

CHIN
402B (2) - Further Studies of Elementary Chinese - topical description
- This course offers a review for students who took Chinese 111 and 112
during the fall and winter term. The course meets four days a week and allow
students to strengthen their first-year language skills. Fu

Classics (CLAS)

CLAS 224 (3) - The World of Late Antiquity
- newly offered course - This course introduces students to the
historical period between the close of the ancient world and the rise of the
Middle Ages (c. 250 to 650 AD). Students read primary sources and explore
the historical evidence in order to investigate the reigning historical
model of “Decline and Fall” inherited from Edward Gibbon and others, and
study the development of Christianity and Judaism during this period.
Finally, the course investigates the formation of Europe and the rise of
Islam. (HU, GE4b) Johnson

CSCI 180 (3) - FS: Robot and Mind - topical description - This course
cannot be used toward requirements in the computer science majors. This
freshman seminar combines the traditional reading/writing format with
hands-on experience in building and programming physical and virtual
(videogame) robots. Students learn about the deep philosophical issues
raised by the possibility of machines that think, and build simple versions
of such machines to explore these ideas, using the Lego Mindstorms NXT
platform, the Quake II videogame, and other hardware and software robots.
Readings and discussion from the classic and contemporary robotics and
cognitive science literature are complemented by lectures from guest
specialists in these areas. No prior experience in robotics, engineering or
computer science is assumed, though students with such background have ample
opportunity to challenge themselves with more advanced projects. Levy

DANC 390
(3) - Topics in Dance Composition: Latin Dance -
topical description - Prerequisite:
Dance 220 and permission of the instructor. This studio
course focuses on the development of technical skills in a wide range of
Latin dance styles including Flamenco, Salsa, Afro-Cuban, Conga, and Mambo.
Strengthening of the body, improved flexibility, coordination and
concentration as well as basic Latin dance terminology are explored.
Assigned readings, class discussion, and the practice of Latin dance
techniques are integrated through a historical narrative that reveals the
changes, mutations and growth of Latin dance styles and their
interrelatedness. The class culminates in a performance presentation.
Meythaler

East Asian Languages and Literatures (EALL)

East Asian Studies (EAS)

Economics (ECON)

ECON 295A (3) - Economics of the Auto Industry - topical description
- Prerequisite: Economics 101. For many of us, our lives revolve
around automobiles. They affect where we live, how we get to work, where we
shop. They are cultural icons, from the "pimping" of cars made famous long
ago by Tom Wolfe, to chase scenes in movies, to means of socialization and
symbols of status. The development, production, distribution, servicing,
repair, and eventual disposal of cars is a huge industry. So is the
construction and maintenance of the infrastructure over which vehicles
travel. A constant component, however, is be the manufacturing and retailing
of vehicles, and the economics thereof. Other topics covered vary depending
on the availability of outside speakers and the whims of the professor.
Smitka.

ECON 295B (3) - Health Economics - topical description -
Prerequisite: Economics 101 Overview of the existing institutions and
policies in the United States health care system. Application of standard
microeconomic models to analyze how the current structure influences the
allocation and distribution of health services. Investigation of potential
health care reforms. Diette.

ECON 295C (3) - The Economics of Crime and Punishment - topical
description - Prerequisite: Economics 101. This course explores
topics of crime and criminal justice in the United States from an economic
perspective. Using both theoretical and empirical methodologies, we examine
the decisions of criminals (and would-be criminals), markets for criminal
behavior and the goods and services produced within them, and public
policies aimed at dealing with crime. Sample topics may include the
following: Does crime pay? Does the government regulate crime too much or
too little? Does prison "harden" criminals or rehabilitate them? Why does
the U.S. imprison more people per-capita than any other country? An emphasis
of the course is to explore myths and realities regarding the relationships
between poverty and crime. Leibel.

ECON 296 (3) - Economics of the Middle East
- topical description - Prerequisites:
Economics 101, 102, and sophomore standing.
This course is the study of several topics related
to the economies of Middle Eastern countries. Topics include but are not
limited to the economic history of the region, economic growth, the oil
industry and OPEC (The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries),
Dutch disease, population, and globalization.
With focus on selected countries, the tools of economic analysis are applied
to provide insight into the problems of the region. Students write a
research paper on a topic and a country of their choice related to the
course theme. Ghandi.

ECON 395 (3) - Applications of Game Theory - topical description - Prerequisite: Economics 210. In this course, students learn
the basics of game theory and its application to various fields, including
industrial organization, public economics, environmental economics, and
experimental economics. The course consists of lectures and classroom
activities such as discussion and classroom experiments. Nishikawa.

ECON 396 (3) - Health Economics in Developing Countries - topical
description - Prerequisites: Economics 101 and 203. A survey of the major
issues of health economics, with a focus on developing countries. Health
structure of low-income countries and primary causes for their limited
health performance. Health goals and policy alternatives. Health and
education. Health and the labor market. Selected case studies. A review of
econometric methods for the evaluation of health programs is an integral
part of the course. Blunch.

ENGL
293A (3) - Topics in American Literature: Business in Literature -
topical description - In his 1776 book The Wealth of Nations,
Adam Smith tells a powerful story of the free market as a way to organize
our political and economic lives, a story that has governed much of the
world ever since. This course studies that story, considers alternate
stories of human economic organization, such as those of American Indian
tribes, and sees how these stories have been acted out, mostly in American
business and society. We study novels like Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby
and Silko's Ceremony, poems by writers like Langston Hughes and
Sherman Alexie, movies like The Godfather, Wall Street, and
Erin Brockovich, and memoirs like Richard Wright's Black Boy. We
also read essays from The New Yorker and The Economist and
stories from the Wall Street Journal about American business issues,
including leaders like Bill Gates and Donald Trump, problems like poverty,
and incidents like Enron. The goal is not to attack American business but to
understand its characteristic strengths and weaknesses so we can make the
best choices about how to live and work happily in a free market society.
(HL, GE3) Smout

ENGL
293B (3) - Topics in American Literature: The Short Story - topical
description - We explore the roots of this distinctly modern genre
through the work of American, French, and Russian masters while also
sampling a wide range of contemporary writers, from minimalists to magical
realists. Among the authors included: Poe, Hawthorne, Chekhov, Hemingway,
Lawrence, Mansfield, Cheever, O'Connor, Carver, Oates, and Boyle. (HL, GE3)
Oliver

ENGL
294 (3) - Topics in Environmental Literature - topical description -
Corequisite: Biology 230. Students must register for both courses.
This course focuses on three environmental writers from the 19th and 20th
centuries. We read David Quammen's award-winning account of biogeography,
The Song of the Dodo, both in its own right and as a guide to our other
writers. We read Charles Darwin's The Voyage of the Beagle, his 1845
account of the five-year circumnavigation of the planet that took him to the
Galapagos Islands and initiated his thinking about species and speciation.
We read a selection of works by Alfred Russel Wallace, both his field work
and his theoretical work. Finally, we read selections from the work of E. O.
Wilson, who developed the modern field of biogeography (HL, GE3). Warren

ENGL
308 (3) - Advanced Creative Writing: Fiction - topical description -
Prerequisites: Three credits in English and permission of the instructor.
Students must submit writing samples to qualify for admission. English 203
and/or 204 recommended. A writing workshop designed to explore point of
view in the creation of voice, conflict, and narrative in short fiction.
Students read and discuss both stories by accomplished writers and stories
written by members of the class. Written work includes both fiction and
critiques. (HL, GE3) Smith

ENGL
380A (3) - Advanced Seminar: The Films of Alfred Hitchcock - topical
description - A survey of most of the major films by Alfred Hitchcock,
one of the greatest and most popular directors of the 20th century. The
course pursues a fourfold approach: the relation of Hitchcock's biography to
his films; Hitchcock's indebtedness to and influence upon 20th-century
filmmaking (particularly German Expressionism and the Suspense-Thriller);
Hitchcock's adaptations of several major 20th-century novels and narrative
traditions (the spy novel, the gothic novel, the hardboiled detective story
- by such writers as Conrad, Buchan, Du Maurier, Woolrich, Bloch, and
Highsmith); and, finally, the centrality in his films of Freudian
psychological paradigms - particularly ones that result in sexual/violent
behavior. Films are shown on Monday and Wednesday evenings beginning at 7
p.m.; class and discussion occurs separately during the day; students must
commit the time necessary to see all the films (around fourteen), and to do
a good amount of reading (a biography, several novels, selections from
Freud, and some film theory). (HL, GE3) Adams

ENGL
380B (3) - Advanced Seminar: African-American Women Writers - topical
description - Starting with Jacobs's antebellum slave narrative and
concluding with contemporary texts by African-American women, we take into
consideration the various cultural, historical, and political factors that
contributed to the exploitation and abuse of women under the institution of
slavery. These texts address the issues of sexual violence, rape, maternity,
resistance, and survival. As we consider fictional and non-fictional
narratives about enslavement, we also read literary and cultural criticism
to develop a complex understanding of the texts and of the issues they
raise. As we focus on the causes and the consequences associated with the
commodification of the black female body, we examine the individual and
communal impact resulting from the enslavement of women. Our class
discussion focuses on the following questions and topics: How do economics,
empire, politics, and ideology work together to create racial hierarchies?
What roles do the courts and the law play in constructing racial identities?
What are we to make of the emphasis on the legibility of race; in other
words, why is there so much attention paid to race as something that can be
read on the body? How did slaves maintain family ties when the law deemed
them property? What were the effects of the lack of legal protections on
slave women's relationships to dominant models of womanhood? How did the
desire to connect with an audience or readership influence the ways in which
African American women wrote during the antebellum or Reconstruction eras?
How does the historical institution of slavery play out in current society
and in contemporary fiction about slavery? (HL, GE3) Hall

ENGL
380C (3) - Advanced Seminar: The Making of the Modern Self in Theory and
Performance - topical description - Corequisite: Politics 396. This course examines the
literary, political-social, philosophical and cultural constitutions of the
modern self. What does it mean to be modern? We broach this question through
plays in performance starting with arguably the first major playwright to
give expression to the modern self, William Shakespeare, moving to
contemporary formulations by the likes of Michael Frayn and Tom Stoppard,
both of whom count Shakespeare as one of their primary influences. The
vehicle of investigation takes its cues from a commonsensical observation
about the nature of the self, namely, that it is malleable, fashionable we
might say, part substance and part performance in a socio-political context.
As Shakespeare would have it: "All the world's a stage / And all the men and
women merely players." We supplement plays with historical studies that help
us understand the cultural context within which works of art emerge. We
introduce philosophical studies as a means of elucidating the larger
epistemological, ontological and moral claims with which the chosen plays
might be imbued. Most of our reading and discussion of the texts takes place
in Lexington during the first three weeks of the Spring Term. We then move
to London for two weeks, and conclude with a final week in Stratford.
Examinations of performance prepare us to move from word to action. Our
three weeks in England consist of visits to playhouses in London and
Stratford, meeting directors, scholars, and actors. Our aim here is to
consider how text and theory inform practice at the same time that we
consider how performance shapes our reading of texts. Coming to terms with
the meaning of the modern self is not the work of the mind alone. We are
what we are by force of habit and custom - as Shakespeare's words suggest,
by performance. How does the enactment of the modern self shape our
understanding of the modern self? (HL, GE3) Pickett

Environmental Studies
(ENV)

ENV 180 (3) - FS: The World is What We Eat - topical description -
This seminar involves probing the aesthetics, ethics, and ecology of
eating--the interconnections between how people think about eating, what
people consume, how they produce their food, their health and well-being,
and the workings and conditions of nature, including soils, waters, air,
plants, and animals. It includes considerations of industrial and organic
farming, globalization of food supplies, the slow-food and fast-food
movements and "the new agrarianism," including techniques of food
production, practices of rural living, and a wide constellation of cultural
ideas, loyalties, sentiments, and hopes. J.L.
Warren

ENV 395 (3)
- Ethics and Biodiversity Conservation - topical description - What
is biological diversity, where did it come from, where is it going, and why
should we care? In this course, we examine the interface between ethics and
science with regard to the current mass extinction, the role that humans
play in it, and the implications for environmental policy. Cooper and
Hurd

ENV 401 (1) - The Science & Policy of Biofuels - topical description
- This course centers around a Forum on the Science and Policy of Biofuels,
a half-day forum during the last week of spring term. Students are given
readings during the term and are expected to write a short position paper.
W&L students, faculty, and outside experts participate in the Forum. Kahn

ANTH 180-01 (3) - FS: Oral History - topical description -
This first-year seminar invites students to
explore oral history – the recording and investigation of the recent past
through first-person recollection – and to learn how oral historical
research contributes to anthropological understandings of economic decision
making, social relations, and culture change. The seminar focuses
oral-history investigation on the multifaceted 20th-century transformations
recognized as the emergence of modernity. Moving from a time of horse power
to nuclear energy and from family farms to participation in international
"agribusiness," did individuals experience themselves as active agents or as
being swept along a tide of socio-economic change? How did developments in
agriculture articulate with changes in social relationships and cultural
orientations? What has been gained and what has been lost with the
establishment of modernity? Students explore these questions by reading
about diverse international communities and by conducting oral history
interviews with long-time farmers in Rockbridge and Augusta Counties. (SS4)
A. Bell

ART 121A (3) - FS: Black and White: The
Foundations of Drawing (Drawing I) - What makes
a really great drawing? And how do we begin to learn the art of drawing? In
this seminar, we focus on two aspects of great drawings. The first is an
understanding and development of the basic, foundational skills of drawing
and observation. These skills are accessible to anyone willing to observe
closely and to practice the techniques of drawing. Using line, volume,
value, space and texture, we explore the representation of three-dimensional
space on a two-dimensional surface and also the expressive potential of the
marks themselves. Drawing in the studio and outside in the landscape,
students become adept at using graphite, charcoal, and ink. The second
aspect of great drawings is more elusive but arguably more important. How do
we understand the drawn image? Together we examine, analyze, and discuss the
graphic works of a number of artists, contemporary and traditional, such as
Vincent Van Gogh, Willem DeKooning, Andrew Wyeth, Larry Rivers, and Richard
Diebenkorn. What is the artist trying to say? How does the content and
process by which the drawing was produced convey the intent of the artist?
By the end of the term, students have learned the language of drawing and
have practiced the skills of both the eye and the hand. (HA) Beavers

CSCI 180 (3) - FS: Robot and Mind - topical description - This
course cannot be used toward requirements in the computer science majors.
This freshman seminar combines the traditional reading/writing format
with hands-on experience in building and programming physical and virtual
(videogame) robots. Students learn about the deep philosophical issues
raised by the possibility of machines that think, and build simple versions
of such machines to explore these ideas, using the Lego Mindstorms NXT
platform, the Quake II videogame, and other hardware and software robots.
Readings and discussion from the classic and contemporary robotics and
cognitive science literature are complemented by lectures from guest
specialists in these areas. No prior experience in robotics, engineering or
computer science is assumed, though students with such background have ample
opportunity to challenge themselves with more advanced projects. Levy

ENV 180 (3) - FS: The World is What We Eat - topical description -
This seminar involves probing the aesthetics, ethics, and ecology of
eating--the interconnections between how people think about eating, what
people consume, how they produce their food, their health and well-being,
and the workings and conditions of nature, including soils, waters, air,
plants, and animals. It includes considerations of industrial and organic
farming, globalization of food supplies, the slow-food and fast-food
movements and "the new agrarianism," including techniques of food
production, practices of rural living, and a wide constellation of cultural
ideas, loyalties, sentiments, and hopes.
J.L.
Warren

GEOL 100A (4) - FS: General Geology with Field Emphasis - Not open to
those who have completed Geology 100 or 101. Washington
and Lee is surrounded by some of the most interesting and classical geology
of the entire Appalachian Mountain system. The campus lies right in the
middle of the Great Valley of Virginia, within easy reach of the Blue Ridge
Province and the Allegheny Mountains. This course takes advantage of our
superb location, traveling to a new field site for each class meeting
(including Goshen Pass, North Mountain, Devil's Marbleyard, Panther Falls,
Island Ford Cave, and the Blue Ridge Mountains). We conduct a "hands-on"
study of the basic principles of geology while unraveling the geologic
history of the area. During the term, the class convenes for three four-hour
class blocks each week to promote class discussions and to undertake
laboratory and field-based investigations using maps, rocks and minerals,
computational techniques, scientific writing, and poster presentations. This
course is appropriate for those students curious about their natural world
who enjoy spending time outdoors. Laboratory course credit. (SL) Knapp

HIST 180 (3) - FS: The
Fin-de-sičcle in Paris, Berlin, and Vienna - topical description - Why
did so many observers in the 1890s associate the "end of the century" with
decadence, criminality, alcoholism, and sexual depravity? Why did this same
decade give birth to so many of the social and cultural movements that have
shaped the modern world? In this introductory level seminar, we analyze the
impact of urbanization and technological progress on politics, literature,
and the arts in three of Europe's greatest cultural centers. Topics include
the artistic movements of naturalism and primitivism, the birth of modern
feminism, the spread of Marxian socialism among workers, the critique of
socialism and feminism by the Catholic Church, and Freud's campaign for the
reform of "Victorian" sexual mores. Students
write three short reaction papers on the assigned readings and a ten-page
term paper on a topic of special interest to them.
(HU) Patch

LIT 180 (3) - FS: Tragedies East and West - topical description - This
course introduces students to the topic of tragedy in both China and the
West from its origin in Greece and Chinese Yuan dynasty up to modern times.
It examines the concept of tragedy as a literary genre in the West, its
evolution in history, and the aptness in its application to Chinese drama.
Primary texts from Western and Chinese classical drama as well as from the
modern period are selected as a basis for comparison, with a view to helping
students form a comparative perspective in their appreciation of both
Chinese and Western drama. Western playwrights include Sophocles,
Shakespeare, and Ibsen. Course participants engage in frequent discussions
and writing assignments. (HL) Fu

MUS 180 (3) - FS: The Human Voice: Science and Sound - topical
description - This
seminar is designed to explore the entirety of the human voice. Through
readings, demonstrations, experimental methods, guest lectures, and class
discussions, we explore the physiologic and acoustical properties of the
voice. Our internal study reveals the anatomy, physiology, and physics that
serve to operate this natural instrument. Our external study includes
analyses of acoustics, resonance, and voice types through the recorded voice
of famous classical and contemporary singers, live performances by guest
artists in the Wilson Concert Hall, and private spectrograph analysis of
each student's speaking or singing voice. Readings that feature conflicting
viewpoints spur class discussions, individual research topics, and issues
for group presentations. This exploration of the human voice is designed
especially for those interested in public speaking, pre-medical studies,
physics, or singing. This course is open to all freshmen; no class member is
required to sing. (HA) Myers

MUS 181 (3) - FS: First Nights: The Premieres of Six Famous Musical Works -
topical description – Why did the audience almost riot at the
premičre of The Rite of Spring (Paris, 1913)? Did the deaf Beethoven
really conduct his Ninth Symphony (Vienna, 1824)? These and many other
questions are addressed about the first performances of six important works
in Western musical history. Students investigate how a musical composition
reflects its times and the impact it has on culture. The ability to read
music is not a requirement of the course. An interdisciplinary approach
addresses connections of music with mythology, religion, art, architecture,
theater, dance, poetry, philosophy, sociology, journalism, history, and
politics. (HA) Gaylard, Spice

PHIL 195A (3) - FS: The Concept of Honor
- topical description - What is
honor? It lies at the heart of Washington and Lee's values, yet its hold on
the wider American society is tenuous, and its meaning may seem unclear to
many, not least to students struggling to comprehend a revered honor system.
This course seeks to explore the concept of personal honor in historical and
philosophical context. We examine some key moments in this concept's
development from ancient Greece to our own times, exploring a variety of
philosophical perplexities along the way. We read literary texts such as the
Iliad, Gawain and the Green Knight, and To Kill a Mockingbird,
and view a variety of films, from The Good Shepherd and Troy
to The Adventures of Robin Hood and Glory--each of which casts
different lights on honor. In the last week of the course, we focus on
Washington and Lee's own honor system, in order to clarify and deepen our
own sense of local personal honor. Students learn from lectures by invited
speakers and centrally participate in seminar discussion on the texts and
films and the issues they raise. The course's central philosophical question
is this: how can honor, born and reared in hierarchical, patriarchal,
warrior societies, live or even thrive in a more egalitarian and peaceful
home, such as Washington and Lee in the 21st century? (HU) Sessions

POV 101A (3) - FS: Poverty: An Interdisciplinary Introduction - An
exploration of the nature, scope, causes, effects and possible remedies for
poverty as a social, moral, political, economic, legal, psychological,
religious, and biological problem. The course focuses on domestic poverty
but also considers poverty as a global problem. Students are expected to
take frequent advantage of various optional assignments and optional
revision of papers. Freshmen who prefer a class with more experienced
students should take Poverty 101, where they receive the same attention in a
slightly larger class setting. Students are expected to perform orally and
in writing. (HU) Beckley

REL 180 (3) - FS: The Lives of the Prophet Muhammad - topical description
-
While Muslims regard Muhammad as a mortal human being, they also consider
him special, chosen by the One God to be the mouthpiece of the ultimate
revelation to humankind: the Qur'an. The events of the Prophet's life are
essential to understanding the Qur'an, and imitating that life is the surest
path to righteousness in the eyes of Muslims. But determining who has the
authority to narrate Muhammad's life and how that life should be represented
is as controversial a question today as it was for the first Muslim
generation. This course explores the traditional oral and written sources
for the Prophet's life from the early Muslim centuries; the use of
Muhammad's life as a model for personal conduct, law, and piety; and the
recent controversies of describing and depicting the Prophet in the
contemporary world, such as the Danish cartoon protests and the Rushdie
affair. (HU) Hatcher

Geology (GEOL)

GEOL 100A (4) - FS: General Geology with Field Emphasis - Not open to
those who have completed Geology 100 or 101. Washington
and Lee is surrounded by some of the most interesting and classical geology
of the entire Appalachian Mountain system. The campus lies right in the
middle of the Great Valley of Virginia, within easy reach of the Blue Ridge
Province and the Allegheny Mountains. This course takes advantage of our
superb location, traveling to a new field site for each class meeting
(including Goshen Pass, North Mountain, Devil's Marbleyard, Panther Falls,
Island Ford Cave, and the Blue Ridge Mountains). We conduct a "hands-on"
study of the basic principles of geology while unraveling the geologic
history of the area. During the term, the class convenes for three four-hour
class blocks each week to promote class discussions and to undertake
laboratory and field-based investigations using maps, rocks and minerals,
computational techniques, scientific writing, and poster presentations. This
course is appropriate for those students curious about their natural world
who enjoy spending time outdoors. Laboratory course credit. (SL) Knapp

HIST 180 (3) - FS: The
Fin-de-sičcle in Paris, Berlin, and Vienna - topical description - Why
did so many observers in the 1890s associate the "end of the century" with
decadence, criminality, alcoholism, and sexual depravity? Why did this same
decade give birth to so many of the social and cultural movements that have
shaped the modern world? In this introductory level seminar, we analyze the
impact of urbanization and technological progress on politics, literature,
and the arts in three of Europe's greatest cultural centers. Topics include
the artistic movements of naturalism and primitivism, the birth of modern
feminism, the spread of Marxian socialism among workers, the critique of
socialism and feminism by the Catholic Church, and Freud's campaign for the
reform of "Victorian" sexual mores. Students
write three short reaction papers on the assigned readings and a ten-page
term paper on a topic of special interest to them.
(HU) Patch

HIST 195 (3) - Turkey, the Balkans, and
The Arab World, 1800-2000 - topical description - The decline and
collapse of the Ottoman Empire: the successor states of the 20th century
including Egypt but excluding Israel and the rest of North Africa. (HU,
GE4b) Porter

HIST 322 (3) - Seminar in Russian History: The Decline and Fall of the
Soviet Union and the Resurgence of Russia, 1985 to Present - topical
description - Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. This
seminar relies on a wide range of materials, including books, Internet
resources, and documentary film to examine three distinct periods in
Russia's recent past: the demise of the Soviet Union during the failed
reforms of General Secretary Gorbachev; the political, social, and economic
disintegration of Yeltsin's presidency; and a reassertion of central power
and state control under President Putin. Students write a research paper on
a topic on their choice with the instructor's approval. Bidlack

HIST 369A (3) - Spring Institute in Culture
and Society: Slavery, Race Relations and Society in the Caribbean -
topical description - Corequisite: INTR 296. This course examines
slavery and its legacies in the Caribbean, with comparative analysis of
South America and the United States. Students and faculty members are in
residence in the Caribbean for four weeks, with approximately three weeks in
Barbados and approximately one full week in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The goal of this course is to understand how slavery and race relations have
affected -- and continue to affect -- diverse aspects of Caribbean society,
including social relations, economies, politics, national identity, and
access to natural resources. Students learn about these issues first hand in
classes, on field trips, through individual research projects, and during
interactions with local scholars and residents. (HU, GE4b.) Carey,
DeLaney, Dickovick, Eastwood

HIST 369B
(3) - The Coming of the Civil War - topical description - A short,
intense, advanced seminar for 12 history fanciers. No advanced knowledge is
expected; just an advanced curiosity about such puzzles as the causes of the
Civil War, the nature of the Old South, the nature of the (sort-of) northern
anti-slavery mentality, and the (maybe) inevitability of the war. Some
lectures, more discussions, assigned reading in only primary sources
(including Uncle Tom's Cabin, Calhoun, Lincoln-Douglas, and secession
debates in Georgia and Virginia). Three very short essays are due, and a
final exam is prepared (which will count less in the final grade than
enthusiastic and informed class discussion of the readings) (HU, GE4b)
Freehling

Interdepartmental (INTR)

INTR 296 (3) - Spring Institute in Culture
and Society: Slavery, Race Relations and Society in the Caribbean -
topical description - Corequisite: HIST 369A. This course examines
slavery and its legacies in the Caribbean, with comparative analysis of
South America and the United States. Students and faculty members are in
residence in the Caribbean for four weeks, with approximately three weeks in
Barbados and approximately one full week in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The goal of this course is to understand how slavery and race relations have
affected -- and continue to affect -- diverse aspects of Caribbean society,
including social relations, economies, politics, national identity, and
access to natural resources. Students learn about these issues first hand in
classes, on field trips, through individual research projects, and during
interactions with local scholars and residents. (SS4, GE6d.) Carey,
DeLaney, Dickovick, Eastwood

Italian (ITAL)

Japanese (JAPN)

Japanese
402B (2) - Further Studies of Elementary Japanese - topical description
- This course offers a review for students who took Japanese 111 and 112
during the fall and winter term. The course meets four days a week and allow
students to strengthen their first-year language skills. Robinson

Journalism (JOUR)

Journalism 295 (3) - Journalists At War - topical
description - Open to non-majors. A critical, in-depth study of
reporting and reporters during the United States' most recent wars, from the
Viet Nam conflict to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Students
are exposed to numerous examples of journalists' work. de Maria

Latin (LATN)

Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS)

LACS 195 (3) - Special Topics in
Latin American and Caribbean Studies: Hispanic
Feminisms - newly offered course, topical description - A topical seminar
that focuses on an interdisciplinary examination of a singular theme
relevant to the overall understanding of Latin America and the Caribbean
region, such as Hispanic Feminisms, the Indigenous Americas, or Shifting
Borders, among others. As an introductory seminar, topics are selected with
the purpose in mind to present the student with a broad, regional view
within the scope of a restricted focus or medium.
Spring 2008 Course Description: This seminar explores the development
of feminist movements and theories in Spain, Latin America, and the United
States. In order to understand the intersections between and among gender,
race, and class in the "Hispanic" world, students examine key concepts such
as theories of feminism, borders, heteronormativity, and mestizaje
and apply them to select fiction, non-fiction, and filmic texts. (HU) Mayock.

Literature in Translation (LIT)

LIT 180 (3) - FS: Tragedies East and West - topical description - This
course introduces students to the topic of tragedy in both China and the
West from its origin in Greece and Chinese Yuan dynasty up to modern times.
It examines the concept of tragedy as a literary genre in the West, its
evolution in history, and the aptness in its application to Chinese drama.
Primary texts from Western and Chinese classical drama as well as from the
modern period are selected as a basis for comparison, with a view to helping
students form a comparative perspective in their appreciation of both
Chinese and Western drama. Western playwrights include Sophocles,
Shakespeare, and Ibsen. Course participants engage in frequent discussions
and writing assignments. (HL) Fu

LIT 295A (3) -
Switzerland's Postwar Literary Masters: Max Frisch and Friedrich Dürrenmatt
- topical description - Novels, short stories, dramas and essays from
Switzerland's two greatest postwar authors—works that were both a source of
national pride and also often embarrassment for the Swiss Confederation.
Frisch and Dürrenmatt were their nation's staunch supporters and tireless
critics, a paradox formed from the attitudes toward the elusive concept of
patriotism that these friends and literary rivals held. Distrust of
ideology, loss of identity, the nature of justice and honor, culpability for
the Holocaust and communal responsibility for society's ills are shared
concerns and are topics for reflection and analysis in the course. (HL, GE3)
Crockett

LIT 295B (3) - Japanese Animated
Film - topical description - Since the 1990s, Japanese animation, or
anime, has become both a significant domestic cultural phenomenon and
one of Japan's most influential cultural exports. As the number of anime
fans worldwide continues to grow in both number and enthusiasm, anime
aesthetics have begun to have a significant impact on Western popular
culture. This course examines the anime phenomenon with a focus on
Japanese animated film, from the beginnings of the Japanese animation
industry, to the emergence of anime fandom, to the present. Through
frequent film screenings, students explore the major genres and examine the
unique capacity of the medium for social criticism and exploration of
serious themes that can exceed that of more mainstream and established
media. (HL, GE3) Robinson

LIT 395 (3) - Film and Contemporary
Chinese Culture - topical description - Prerequisite: Two
300-level or higher literature courses or permission of the instructor.
This course examines Chinese postsocialist filmmaking from the late 1980s
through the present time. We focus particularly on the documentary genre or
films that employ a documentary mode. We explore contemporary socio-cultural
issues in China as well as the film as a medium of representation. All films
carry English subtitles unless otherwise indicated; all readings are in
English. No knowledge of Chinese is required. (HL, GE3) Chang

Mathematics (MATH)

MATH 195 (3) - Close Encounters with the
Impossible -topical description -Prerequisite:
Math 101 or Math 121. The Russian mathematician A. N. Kolmogorov wrote
that "At any given moment, there is only a fine layer between the 'trivial'
and the impossible." This course begins with a brief history of mathematical
ideas from the viewpoint that many of the greatest ideas in mathematics are
the result of flirting with seemingly absurd notions. Topics include:
Irrational, imaginary and transcendental numbers, perspective, curved space, the fourth dimension,
infinitesimals, ideals, periodicity, the infinite, and the Banach-Tarski paradox. McRae

MATH 401 (1) -
Mathematical Analysis of Multiplayer Games - topical description -
Prerequisite: Permission of the department head. Students propose and
refine original designs for several multiplayer games incorporating elements
of graph theory, combinatorics, and probability. One of the proposals will
be selected for further development including testing, implementation, and a
written mathematical analysis exploring, e.g., the existence of winning
strategies, computational complexity of correct play, and relationships with
existing combinatorial games. Siehler

Medieval and Renaissance Studies (MRST)

MRST 110 (3) - Medieval and Renaissance
Culture: Trial, Torture, and the Truth - topical description - A
study of the rise of heresy codification and Inquisition trial procedures in
England and the Continent, c. 1300-1600. Topics include the rise of heresy
trial in England; the Papal and Spanish Inquisitions; belief and conversion;
artistic freedom; torture and execution; and the trial and testing of
knowledge in Medieval and Renaissance literature. Course questions arising
from the material include: How is it possible to know what someone believes?
Can belief be authentic when coerced? Does the process of trial really lead
to truth? What is intellectual and artistic freedom? In what ways do
institutions today still try to control our beliefs? (HU, GE4a) Gertz

Military Science (MS)

Music (MUS)

MUS 180 (3) - FS: The Human Voice: Science and Sound - topical
description - This
seminar is designed to explore the entirety of the human voice. Through
readings, demonstrations, experimental methods, guest lectures, and class
discussions, we explore the physiologic and acoustical properties of the
voice. Our internal study reveals the anatomy, physiology, and physics that
serve to operate this natural instrument. Our external study includes
analyses of acoustics, resonance, and voice types through the recorded voice
of famous classical and contemporary singers, live performances by guest
artists in the Wilson Concert Hall, and private spectrograph analysis of
each student's speaking or singing voice. Readings that feature conflicting
viewpoints spur class discussions, individual research topics, and issues
for group presentations. This exploration of the human voice is designed
especially for those interested in public speaking, pre-medical studies,
physics, or singing. This course is open to all freshmen; no class member is
required to sing. (HA) Myers

MUS 181 (3) - FS: First Nights: The Premieres of Six Famous Musical Works -
topical description – Why did the audience almost riot at the
premičre of The Rite of Spring (Paris, 1913)? Did the deaf Beethoven
really conduct his Ninth Symphony (Vienna, 1824)? These and many other
questions are addressed about the first performances of six important works
in Western musical history. Students investigate how a musical composition
reflects its times and the impact it has on culture. The ability to read
music is not a requirement of the course. An interdisciplinary approach
addresses connections of music with mythology, religion, art, architecture,
theater, dance, poetry, philosophy, sociology, journalism, history, and
politics. (HA) Gaylard, Spice

MUS 397 (3) - Modern Electronica: History,
Analysis, and Composition - topical description - Prerequisite:
Permission of the instructor. This seminar explores the history of
electronic-music compositional techniques within the Western arts tradition,
tracing their evolution into today's subgenres of electronica such as
ambient, downtempo, house, drum-and-bass, and trance. Composers such as
Stockhausen, Schaeffer, and Boulez serve as a foundation from which
comparisons of the work of American minimalists and modern marriages with
computer technology can be drawn. A key component is the analysis,
de-construction, and re-construction of modern electronica styles. Students
experiment with modern compositional techniques in select genres of
electronica using computer software. This course is intended to provoke
thought on the nature and role of music in culture. (HA, GE4a)
Scarborough and CG Spice

Neuroscience (NEUR)

Philosophy (PHIL)

PHIL 195A (3) - FS: The Concept of Honor
- topical description - What is
honor? It lies at the heart of Washington and Lee's values, yet its hold on
the wider American society is tenuous, and its meaning may seem unclear to
many, not least to students struggling to comprehend a revered honor system.
This course seeks to explore the concept of personal honor in historical and
philosophical context. We examine some key moments in this concept's
development from ancient Greece to our own times, exploring a variety of
philosophical perplexities along the way. We read literary texts such as the
Iliad, Gawain and the Green Knight, and To Kill a Mockingbird,
and view a variety of films, from The Good Shepherd and Troy
to The Adventures of Robin Hood and Glory--each of which casts
different lights on honor. In the last week of the course, we focus on
Washington and Lee's own honor system, in order to clarify and deepen our
own sense of local personal honor. Students learn from lectures by invited
speakers and centrally participate in seminar discussion on the texts and
films and the issues they raise. The course's central philosophical question
is this: how can honor, born and reared in hierarchical, patriarchal,
warrior societies, live or even thrive in a more egalitarian and peaceful
home, such as Washington and Lee in the 21st century? (HU) Sessions

PHIL 195B (3) - The Concept of Honor
- topical description - What is honor? It lies at the heart of
Washington and Lee's values, yet its hold on the wider American society is
tenuous, and its meaning may seem unclear to many, not least to students
struggling to comprehend a revered honor system. This course seeks to
explore the concept of personal honor in historical and philosophical
context. We examine some key moments in this concept's development from
ancient Greece to our own times, exploring a variety of philosophical
perplexities along the way. We read literary texts such as the Iliad,
Gawain and the Green Knight, and To Kill a Mockingbird, and
view a variety of films, from The Good Shepherd and Troy to
The Adventures of Robin Hood and Glory--each of which casts
different lights on honor. In the last week of the course, we focus on
Washington and Lee's own honor system, in order to clarify and deepen our
own sense of local personal honor. Students learn from lectures by invited
speakers and centrally participate in seminar discussion on the texts and
films and the issues they raise. The course's central philosophical question
is this: how can honor, born and reared in hierarchical, patriarchal,
warrior societies, live or even thrive in a more egalitarian and peaceful
home, such as Washington and Lee in the 21st Century? (HU, GE4c) Sessions

PHIL 195C (3) - Philosophy and Sex
- topical description - Open to all classes. This course
explores questions related to contemporary conceptions of sexuality and its
proper role in our lives. Questions to be addressed include: What is the
purpose of sex? Are sexual practices subject to normative evaluation on
grounds of morality, aesthetics, and/or capacity to promote a flourishing
human life? We consider the relation between sex and both intimacy and
pleasure, viewed from the perspective of heterosexual women and men, and gay
men and lesbians. What are our sexual practices and attitudes toward sex?
What should they be like? Particular topics include: "hooking up,"
masturbation, marital fidelity, adultery and open marriage, the
eroticization of violence, the sexualization of nudity and its impact on
body-image, prostitution and pornography, perversion, sadomasochism,
pedophilia, and rape. (HU, GE4c) Bell

Philosophy 207 (3) - Aesthetics - topical
description - The first half of the course examines various theories
about what art is and what makes works of art valuable. Special attention is
paid to the differences and similarities between aesthetic judgments ("This
painting provides a powerful depiction of man's inhumanity to man."), moral
judgments ("Torture is wrong."), and judgments of fact ("Today's low
temperature in Lexington was 45 degrees Fahrenheit."). The second half of
the course examines the connections between art and politics and focuses
upon drama as a distinctive art form. We view and discuss several major
American plays, including Streetcar Named Desire, The Death of a
Salesman, Long Day's Journey into Night, and Who's Afraid of
Virginia Woolf? Classroom activity consists of lecture and discussion.
Students are responsible for oral presentations and a paper. (HU, GE4c)
Lambert

PHIL 395 (3) - Cyborgs: Technology and the Plasticity of Human Nature -
topical description - Prerequisites: At least one course in philosophy;
junior or senior standing; or
permission of instructor. Human-technology symbionts - cybernetic
organisms, "cyborgs" - are already among us. Is this a loss of our humanity?
A transformation to a post-human era? Or the fulfillment of what makes us
human? This class explores the idea that cognitive integration with
technology and the environment - extended cognition, our cyborg nature - is
what sets us apart from other terrestrial creatures. We investigate these
through scholarly readings and popular films. (HU, GE4c) Gregory

Students may express a preference for up to three skills courses as part of web
registration. These preferences will be examined after the academic schedule is
set and, if open and not in conflict with the academic courses, one may be
placed in the schedule. Changes or additional sections may still be handled
during the drop/add period.

POL 295B
(3) Developing Nations - topical description - This reading-intensive
course introduces advanced students to questions of political leadership, as
seen through the lens of 20th- and 21st-century leaders in developing
nations. A number of interrelated questions are addressed: What is
leadership, and how do we define leaders? Is it about charisma, the ability
to persuade, or moral power, or none of these? Is leadership fundamentally a
characteristic of individuals, or is it contingent upon and shaped by social
conditions? Who or what drives social change; is it the agency of
individuals, or do structures and institutions govern social change? Is
leadership a solely positive characteristic, or is it ambiguous in its
virtues? The course examines questions and controversies surrounding leaders
including Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Hugo Chavez, and Rigoberta Menchu.
(SS2) Dickovick

POL
295C (3) - Culture and Society in Poland - topical description -
Corequisite: Sociology 290B. This course, a study abroad program in
Warsaw, addresses the contemporary cultural, social, and political issues of
Poland. This nation is examined as a test case of rapid social, political,
and economic change, which characterizes the recent historical developments
in the entire East Central Europe. Lectures, discussions, film shows, and
site visits are organized along three thematic tracks. Track 1, Historical
sociology of Poland in the 20th century, focuses on factors that shaped the
contemporary Polish national identity. Track 2 is devoted to a comparative
analysis of the process of transition away from communism in East Central
Europe. Track 3 covers selected contemporary social and cultural issues in
Poland. In addition to lectures by the faculty of Collegium Civitas, the
program of the course includes also an orientation session on W&L campus,
daily discussion sessions with the instructor, visits to museums and
historical sites, and side trips to Kraków, Gdansk, and Lódz. The course
concludes with a wrap-up session on W&L campus, devoted mostly to the work
on term papers. (SS2, GE6b) Jasiewicz

POL 295D (3) - The Pacific Basin in International Affairs - topical
description - This course introduces, in historical context, the
diplomatic, economic, and strategic dimensions of the Pacific Basin: East
Asia/Southeast Asia/Pacific. Key current issues such as energy and terrorism
are a focus. The foreign policies of major powers – China, Russia, Japan,
United States - toward the region are explored and assessed. The foreign
policies of other significant regional players - India, Indonesia, Australia
– and economic groupings such as ASEAN are also explored and assessed. (SS2)
Kiracofe

POL 295E
(3) - The European Union - topical description - This course examines
the origins, institutionalization, external relations, and future of
European integration. Attention is given to the evolution of the European
idea, EU institutions, the rationale and failure of an EU constitution, the
forging of an EU foreign and defense policy, the EU's eastward enlargement,
and the U.S. role and stake in a unified Europe. (SS2) Thompson

POL 295F (3) - Totalitarianism - topical description -
This course is a study of
totalitarian regimes. What makes a regime "totalitarian"? What kind of
conditions need to be in place for a society to embrace a totalitarian
regime? What keeps the totalitarian regime going once it is created? Are
some societies more susceptible to totalitarianism than others, or is
totalitarianism simply a side-effect of modernity? We focus on historical
and contemporary manifestations of totalitarianism such as the Nazi Germany,
the Soviet Union and the Iron Curtain countries, North Korea,
post-revolutionary Iran and Taliban's Afghanistan. We learn about these
regimes through a variety of media such as novels, autobiographies, graphic
novels, movies, and political theory texts. (SS2)Zarakol

POL 396 (3) - Advanced Seminar: The Making of the Modern Self in Theory and
Performance - topical description - Corequisite: English 380C. This course examines the
literary, political-social, philosophical and cultural constitutions of the
modern self. What does it mean to be modern? We broach this question through
plays in performance starting with arguably the first major playwright to
give expression to the modern self, William Shakespeare, moving to
contemporary formulations by the likes of Michael Frayn and Tom Stoppard,
both of whom count Shakespeare as one of their primary influences. The
vehicle of investigation takes its cues from a commonsensical observation
about the nature of the self, namely, that it is malleable, fashionable we
might say, part substance and part performance in a socio-political context.
As Shakespeare would have it: "All the world's a stage / And all the men and
women merely players." We supplement plays with historical studies that help
us understand the cultural context within which works of art emerge. We
introduce philosophical studies as a means of elucidating the larger
epistemological, ontological and moral claims with which the chosen plays
might be imbued. Most of our reading and discussion of the texts takes place
in Lexington during the first three weeks of the Spring Term. We then move
to London for two weeks, and conclude with a final week in Stratford.
Examinations of performance prepare us to move from word to action. Our
three weeks in England consist of visits to playhouses in London and
Stratford, meeting directors, scholars, and actors. Our aim here is to
consider how text and theory inform practice at the same time that we
consider how performance shapes our reading of texts. Coming to terms with
the meaning of the modern self is not the work of the mind alone. We are
what we are by force of habit and custom - as Shakespeare's words suggest,
by performance. How does the enactment of the modern self shape our
understanding of the modern self? (SS) Velasquez

Portuguese (PORT)

PORT 101 (3) - Beginning Portuguese II - newly offered course -
Prerequisite: Portuguese 100. A second introductory level course
designed to help prepare students in Portuguese Language proficiency for
participation in the US/Brazil Consortium for Environmental Studies, a
federally funded Washington and Lee University exchange program with the
Universidade do Amazonas and the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro.
Non-exchange students are also welcome to take the course. Basic language
skills are taught in preparation for a Portuguese Language immersion course
taught in Brazil as part of the exchange program. The immersion course
focuses on language skills required for environmental studies.

Poverty and Human Capability (POV) Students from all classes are
welcome to enroll in Poverty and Human Capability 101 in the spring. Freshmen
may enroll in 101 or 101A, a First-Years only seminar limited to fifteen students.
Poverty and Human Capability 101 is the principal gateway course for
participating in Shepherd Alliance summer internships and the Shepherd Program
course of study. This course meets the requirement for credits (but not for one
of the two areas) under GE 4 and for HU in the FDRs. A list of courses from
other departments that qualify for the Poverty and Human Capability Studies
transcript recognition appear on the program Web site: http://shepherd.wlu.edu/.

POV 101A
(3) - FS: Poverty: An Interdisciplinary Introduction - An exploration of the
nature, scope, causes, effects and possible remedies for poverty as a
social, moral, political, economic, legal, psychological, religious, and
biological problem. The course focuses on domestic poverty but also
considers poverty as a global problem. Students are expected to take
frequent advantage of various optional assignments and optional revision of
papers. Freshmen who prefer a class with more experienced students should
take Poverty 101, where they receive the same attention in a slightly larger
class setting. Students are expected to perform orally and in writing. (HU)
Beckley

Psychology (PSYC)

PSYC
230(3) - Contemporary Issues in Child Development: Social Policy, Children
and Families - topical description - Prerequisites: Psychology 113
and permission of the instructor.The course focuses on various ways that developmental
psychology can inform social and public policy on matters such as parental
leave, child-care issues, child and adolescent health policies, decisions
for children facing foster care or adoption, juvenile justice policy, and
issues related to education. Margand

PSYC
395 (3) - Development of Human Sexuality - topical description -
Prerequisite: Psychology 113. This course examines the fundamentals of
the development and practice of sexuality in the human being and the
historical, psychological, and psychosocial aspects of human sexuality from
childhood to old age. The course covers major theories of the development of
sexuality in heterosexual, gay, and lesbian people. Students also explore
how sexuality itself may be "constructed" as a result of culture, media, and
gender. Fulcher

Public Speaking (PSPK)

Religion (REL)

REL 180 (3) - FS: The Lives of the Prophet Muhammad - topical description
-
While Muslims regard Muhammad as a mortal human being, they also consider
him special, chosen by the One God to be the mouthpiece of the ultimate
revelation to humankind: the Qur'an. The events of the Prophet's life are
essential to understanding the Qur'an, and imitating that life is the surest
path to righteousness in the eyes of Muslims. But determining who has the
authority to narrate Muhammad's life and how that life should be represented
is as controversial a question today as it was for the first Muslim
generation. This course explores the traditional oral and written sources
for the Prophet's life from the early Muslim centuries; the use of
Muhammad's life as a model for personal conduct, law, and piety; and the
recent controversies of describing and depicting the Prophet in the
contemporary world, such as the Danish cartoon protests and the Rushdie
affair. (HU) Hatcher

SOC 290A (3) - Special Topics in
Sociology: Culture and Poverty - topical description - This course
approaches debates about the relationship between culture, development, and
poverty from two main perspectives. First, we take a more microsociological
approach, beginning with an analysis of Oscar Lewis's classic "culture of
poverty" thesis, along with criticisms and further discussion from a variety
of social scientists, including Pierre Bourdieu, Mitch Duneier, Ann Swidler,
and William Julius Wilson. Second, we turn to more macrosociological debates
about the relationship between culture and development more generally,
beginning with Max Weber's Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism,
and engaging with more recent theorists of culture and economic development,
including but not limited to Peter Berger, Arturo Escobar, Lawrence
Harrison, and Hernando de Soto. Eastwood

SOC 290B
(3) - Culture and Society in Poland - topical description -
Corequisite: Politics 295C. This course, a study abroad program in
Warsaw, addresses the contemporary cultural, social, and political issues of
Poland. This nation is examined as a test case of rapid social, political,
and economic change, which characterizes the recent historical developments
in the entire East Central Europe. Lectures, discussions, film shows, and
site visits are organized along three thematic tracks. Track 1, Historical
sociology of Poland in the 20th century, focuses on factors that shaped the
contemporary Polish national identity. Track 2 is devoted to a comparative
analysis of the process of transition away from communism in East Central
Europe. Track 3 covers selected contemporary social and cultural issues in
Poland. In addition to lectures by the faculty of Collegium Civitas, the
program of the course includes also an orientation session on W&L campus,
daily discussion sessions with the instructor, visits to museums and
historical sites, and side trips to Kraków, Gdansk, and Lódz. The course
concludes with a wrap-up session on W&L campus, devoted mostly to the work
on term papers. (SS4, GE6d) Jasiewicz

Spanish (SPAN)

SPAN 201 (6) - Supervised Study Abroad: Costa Rica - newly offered course
- Direct exposure to the language, people, and culture of Costa Rica.
The course is designed to improve grammar and vocabulary of the advanced
student through intensive training in Spanish with special emphasis on oral
proficiency. The program includes an on-campus portion (one week) which
offers an overview of the culture of Costa Rica and as well as extensive
pre-departure oral language training. The site portion includes five weeks
of supervised academic work at the Instituto Guanacasteco in Nicoya, Costa
Rica. Students receive intensive language training (approximately four hours
a day with a maximum of four students per class.) The courses are total
immersion, meaning home stay with a Costa Rican Spanish-speaking family, all
materials are in Spanish, and only Spanish is spoken in the classroom. In
addition to the language classes, a community-based service learning
component allows students to test their language skills as a volunteer at
the local hospital, primary school, law firm, court house, or local
businesses, among others. The program also promotes cultural awareness
through lectures by native authorities as well as excursions to local and
national sites of interest. Among other destinations, we journey to the
Monteverde Cloud Forest, the Arenal volcano, Granada, Nicaragua, and several
national parks. Barnett

SPAN 295 (3) - Special Topics in Conversation - topical description -
Prerequisite: Three credits from any 200-level Spanish course or
permission of the instructor. This course is designed to expand
students' conversational and comprehension skills in Spanish, through the
viewing, analysis, and exploration of some of the most representative films
produced in Spain and Latin America. In addition to in-class discussions,
students are expected to write film reviews and prepare oral presentations
on aspects of the films studied in class.

SPAN 395 (3) - La poesķa del pueblo - topical description
- Prerequisite: Spanish 215. A course about the traditions and
folklore of Spain; the heroes and heroines of popular history as presented
in the songs and poems of Spain; folk celebrations of the summer solstice;
legends surrounding El Cid; gypsies and flamenco. In this course we
study the romances orballads of medieval Spain, as well as
Garcia Lorca's Romancero Gitano, the art of flamenco, and the
copla espańola that gave voice to the people during Franco's time.
The course includes guest lectures by Professor Martha Miller of University
of North Carolina Charlotte, a specialist in the art of the copla.
(HL, GE3) West-Settle

Theater (THTR)

THTR 290 (3) - Topics in Theater:Motion
Picture Screenwriting - topical description - No prerequisites.
This seminar explores the evolution of writing for film and reviews the
basic techniques of modern writing for visual media. Included in this study
is the story structure of film, the unique format for writing in the
discipline, and the elements of plot and character development. Students are
required to write a 20-page screenplay and a promotional treatment. (HA,
GE4a) Dean

University
Scholars (UNIV)

University Scholars 202 (3) and Art 380A (3) -
Science in Art: Technical Examination of 17th-Century Dutch Paintings -
topical description - No prerequisites. Permission of the instructor
required. The two courses are corequisites of each other. This six-credit,
study-abroad experience develops students' fundamental understanding of certain
physical, chemical, biological, and geological concepts and utilizes that
vocabulary and knowledge to discuss 17th-century Dutch Art. The first half of
the course involving the scientific and technical background takes place in
Lexington; the second half, involving the art history, politics, religion,
economics, etc., meets at the Center for European Studies (CES) Universiteit
Maastricht and includes trips to museums, cathedrals, and other sites in
Amsterdam, The Hague, Delft, Haarlem, and Rotterdam. The emphasis is on key
aspects of optics, light, and chemical bonding needed to understand how a
painting "works" and how art conservators analyze paintings in terms of
conservation and authenticity using various scientific techniques (radiography,
microscopy, spectroscopy, chromatography, etc.). When possible, the course
develops modern notions of science with those of the 17th century in order to
see how science influenced art. Students are graded, in the first half, on three
or four tests; in the second half two research projects involving one paper and
two Powerpoint presentations are the basis for grades. Though the working
language at CES Maastricht is English, students learn key phrases in Dutch and
practice the manners and customs of The Netherlands. (SC and HA; GE5c and GE4a)
Uffelman (added Oct 2008)

Women's Studies (WST)Students
interested in Women's Studies should plan to take Interdepartmental 120 (3),
Introduction to Women's Studies and Feminist Theory, in the spring. This course
now meets the requirement for credits (but not for one of the two areas) under
GE 4 and for FDR HU. A list of spring-term courses from other departments that qualify for
Women's Studies credits appear on the program Web site:
http://womensstudies.wlu.edu/.

Women's Studies 396 (3) - Advanced Seminar: Reading Lolita in
Lexington - Prerequisites: Women's Studies 120 or
instructor permission. This advanced seminar uses Azar Nafisi's memoir,
Reading Lolita in Tehran, as a framework for studying The Great
Gatsby, Lolita, and Pride and Prejudice, while also
learning about the lives of women in contemporary Iran. We study the history
of Iran and the impact its Islamic revolution has had on the lives of women,
while considering how the reading experiences of young Iranian women compare
to those of college students at Washington and Lee. In addition to the four
major texts, we read excerpts from feminist critical responses to Austen,
Fitzgerald, and Nabokov, and sample some books that explore the variety of
women’s experiences in Islam, such as Geraldine Brooks's Nine Parts of
Desire and Alison Wearing's Honeymoon in Purdah. Requirements
include 20 pages of writing, including a five-page research paper, and an
oral report. Students wanting to apply this course to requirements for the
English major may approach department head Lesley Wheeler for a substitution. Brodie